Flexible Learning in a Health Promotion Class Setting – Innovations to enhance student learning

1. Flexible Learning in a Health Promotion Class Setting – Innovations to enhance student learning Presented by Georgia Babatsikos Deakin Teaching and Learning Conference 2011

2. Overview of Session • Review of flexible learning • Review of class structure • Opportunities for innovation based on recommendations from flexible learning • Innovations developed • Opportunities for using social networking in health promotion • Learnings • Next steps

3. Review of Flexible Learning Best practices show that… • Problem solving around real world problems rather than simple knowledge transfer (Khan, 2007) • Bring together cultural innovations in communication with education (Nunan, 1996) • Providing student centred learning, particularly using multimedia (Dekkers and Andrews, 2000)

4. Review of Flexible Learning Best practices also show that… Technology is an integral part of flexible learning(Insititute of Teaching and Learning “Introduction to Flexible Learning”http://www.deakin.edu.au/itl/pd/tl-modules/curriculum/index.php) Includes offering a student centred dynamic and interactive environment (for example, the use of social networking as an educational tool) (Mason and Rennie, 2008)

5. Review of Flexible Learning Recommendations from Deakin Insitute of Teaching and Learning website, ‘‘Designing and developing flexible courses ’’ http://www.deakin.edu.au/itl/pd/tl-modules/curriculum/index.php Who are our learners? How do they learn? How do they experience learning? My answer to these: Technosavy, social networking and communication, online sources (many non-academic sources)

6. Review of Flexible Learning Recommendations from ‘‘Designing and developing flexible courses ’’ (cont’d) Definition of Flexible Learning: “An approach to education which emphasizes variations in mode, place, time and pace of study, the forms of interaction between and among teachers and learners, the resources available to support study and communication and assessment.” (slide 26, emphasis added)

7. Review of Flexible Learning Recommendations from ‘‘Designing and developing flexible courses ’’ (cont’d) “Key dimensions of flexibility: • Content of learning • Methods of learning • Choice of media/technology…”(slide 27)

8. Review of Class structure HSH 705 Health Planning and Need Assessment Recently split to have evaluation as a separate class; more time to focus on planning Mix of off and on campus students, domestic and international, younger and middle aged. All techno-savy.

9. Review of Class structure Two assignments: 1st, interview with health professional about real health promotion and process they used to plan, implement, and evaluate program using planning model to describe and critique. 2nd, write grant proposal on health problem and population of their choice. Proposal follows planning model.

10. Flexible learning in class already Two assignments: 1st, interview with health professional – they can do with anyone in the world (skype, phone, in person). 2nd, write grant proposal on health problem and population of their choice – they choose the topic of interest. Class topic: Chosen by students - needs assessment at beginning of class to identify topics of interest - last 4 years has been obesity.

11. Opportunities for innovation • Assignment 1 – provide a sample interview. • Assignment 2 • Other sources of information on our class project (obesity prevention) in addition to academic sources • Data sources in order to make it easier to identify a health problem and target population for the assignment.

12. Innovations Other sources of information about health problem (obesity) • Facebook • You tube • Blogs Data sources for their second assignment • City council plans • International data sources on health problems Should supplement, not replace academic sources

13. Facebook • Obesity organizations • Obesity Prevention Australia Inc. http://www.facebook.com/home.php?sk=group_126266757443793 • Support groups • Obesity Support Group http://www.facebook.com/home.php?sk=group_126266757443793#!/group.php?gid=268263862066

14. YouTube • News reports on extent of problem • Obesity in teens report from Australia 2011 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UIMdkOcSRe8&feature=relmfu • Obesity in India, as reported on Australian TV http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rTPgi_Ss9e4 • ABC report from Australia saying that many obesity interventions not working, not properly evaluated, and not community based enough http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UIMdkOcSRe8&feature=relmfu

15. YouTube • Sample ads (from around the world) • European ad from soccer organization http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AY5AILaXDdA&feature=related • Australian ad targeting adults http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9dL4lN6GKi4 • US ad targeting children using Shrek characters http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r-zEDbl04NY&feature=related

16. Blogs • Educational – a blog providing information on childhood obesity http://4childhood-obesity.blogspot.com/ • Support groups – for people trying to lose weight http://www.obesitydiscussion.com/forums/weight-loss-blogs/blog-sites-obesity-related-blogs-1718.html • Blog from a mother who was obese and lost weight http://escapefromobesity.blogspot.com/

17. Data on health problems • WHO Global Observatory Country Statistics http://www.who.int/gho/countries/en/ • South East Asian Health and Life Statistics Database http://www.sls-db.org/english/index.html

18. City council health priorities and strategic plans • Dandenong city council http://www.greaterdandenong.com/Documents.asp?ID=3145&Title=Health+and+Wellbeing+ • Moreland city council http://www.moreland.vic.gov.au/health-safety-and-wellbeing/health-moreland.html • Cairns city council http://www.health.qld.gov.au/ph/documents/tphn/healthindicatorschhsd.pdf http://www.health.qld.gov.au/ph/Documents/epi/srhs2010cairns.pdf • Sri Lankan Ministry of Health http://www.health.gov.lk/HMP-07-16.htm

19. Let’s go to DSO!

20. Evidence for combining social networking and health promotion Community ownerships concepts in social networking also encouraged in health promotion; they also encourage rapid transfer of knowledge (Crespo, 2007) Social networking can provide access to very specific target audiences in a socially accepted setting (e.g. safe sex outreach in chat rooms) (Cummins, Hillier and Price, 2002)

21. Learnings • So much more information out there that would speak to the students of today’s culture • Inspire ideas for educational strategies • Encourage linkages between thorough research/evaluation and contemporary communication/education strategies

22. Next Steps • Sample interview has been posted • Evaluate these innovations at this individual class level • Continue to build the resources on DSO

23. References • Crespo, R. (2007). Virtual Community Health Promotion. Preventing Chronic Disease, 4(3), A75. • Cummings, R., Hillier, L., & Price, B. (2002). Slipping through the NET: An innovative HIV and gonorrhoea education, research and evaluation strategy. Retrieved 5 June, 2011, from http://www.dhs.vic.gov.au/health/researchprograms/downloads/slipping.pdf • Dekkers, J., & Andrews, T. ( 2-5 July, 2000). A meta-analysis of flexible delivery in selected Australian tertiary institutions: How flexible is flexible delivery? Paper presented at the Australian Society for Educational Technology/Higher Education Research and Development Society of Australasia 2000 Joint International Conference, University of Southern Queensland, Toowoomba, Queensland. • Khan, B. H. (2007). Flexible learning in an information society. Hershey, PA: Information Science Publishing. • Mason, R., & Rennie, F. (2008). E-learning and social networking handbook: Resources for higher education. New York, New York: Routledge. • Nunan, T. (8-12 July, 1996). Flexible delivery: What is it and why is it a part of current educational debate? Paper presented at the Higher Education Research and Development Society of Australasia Annual Conference, Different Approaches: Theory and Practice in Higher Education, , Perth, Western Australia.